Kids, Family, Insanity…

T. – Age 3.5 is becoming a Lego Duplo Junkie. He makes ships and cars and most recently something he calls a “Mickey Train,” complete with Dale the Chipmunk inside.

This is cool and all, but I nearly went down the stairs on a Mickey Lego head and had an unfortunate encounter with Lego Donald that cannot be discussed in polite company. I fully anticipate an awkward at best ER visit in my near future!

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Is it just that it is too early on a Sunday morning, or are cartoons becoming increasing more odd?

And why does my 2 years old seem so fascinated?

They have no feet and the heads pop off…and a man thing just opened up and popped a pizza directly into his midsection – and if I am not entirely mistaken I think I just heard Betty White’s voice coming out of what I can only suppose is a Grandma?

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I don’t want to mislead: my goal in this world is to help my kids grow, be confident and succeed. I want them to reach for the stars, be amazed at who they can be, and laugh in the face of fear.

But the stars are awfully high up there and it is scary as hell watching them climb knowing they could fall…

and that it is a certainty that sometimes they will.

I won’t say my parents encouraged me to climb; I was half monkey and they could not keep me out of the tops of trees or off of the roof or stop me from endangering myself in a 1000 different ways. At that point in my life I could climb higher than they could reach, and I felt powerful and cunning and brave.

Actually I wish I could channel those feelings sometimes these days. It is different being on the other side of that equation: watching your little ones challenge themselves and problem solve and climb bars over your head and beyond your reach.

But I would not take this away from her for the world.

I will be there to catch. I will be there to comfort. I will be there to cheer and pray and hope and teach what I can where I can.

But the mountain is ultimately theirs and there are places I cannot follow.

Instead I will carry vast amounts of Tums, medical cards and my iPhone to capture it all. I am a terrified but immensely proud mommy and will cover my gray and hide my terror as best I can.

And she did NOT fall today – she OWNED those monkey bars!

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My daughter, S. Age 4.5 drew this for me tonight. She told me the big dragon, the daddy was upset that he couldn’t fly, but the others could and that the baby was very happy flying and playing games, and that the daddy should be happy because he is so big and colorful.

I just thought the picture was awesome, and as usual, overwhelmed with pride and amazement that somehow I have been lucky enough to have such a colorful little one in my life making me smile.

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My son, T – Age 18 months, has not decided to speak much as yet. This has caused me much panic and angst: worries about what I’ve not done as a parent, mental-flagellation, and frustration over our inability to ask him what the heck he’s thinking.

On the flip side, it’s also occasionally pretty darn funny.

We have our imperfect methods of getting things across:

If T. throws a food clear across the room, it either means “yes, mommy, I am done eating that” or “wow, I’ve been meaning to show you how much air I can get on this thang!”

If he goes and finds an empty packet of something in the garbage can and brings it to you, this translates to “I would like this please.” The subsequent howl of rage when you tell him there is no more means “Well,heck!”

If he shakes his head vehemently from side to side in an exorcist-like fashion, this means he does not approve of your choice of snack. If you do not move quickly enough to remove it, please see line item one.

If T. runs around with a bucket on his head, this translates to “Look at me with my bucket hat! Is it not spectacular?”

If he grabs onto your clothes and pulls himself up forcibly, the means “Pick me up, you slacker!”

If he bursts into tears and starts roaming the house crying as if you’ve broken his heart, this means you’ve guessed his needs inadequately.

And finally, if he finds you curled up in a ball on the kitchen floor bawling and puts his arm around you and nuzzles his wet face into the crook of your neck this means “I love you mommy. We’ll figure this out before I’m twenty, I promise.”